Alfred Korzybski (1879-1950)
These videos have been edited by Steve Stockdale, integrating silent film of Alfred Korzybski from 1944-1949, audio recorded in 1948-1949, mixed with titles and effects. Korzybski discusses the mechanisms of the fan-disc phenomenon in these two pages from Science and Sanity. His last published paper expands on this and provides perhaps his most cogent explanation of general semantics: The Role of Language in the Perceptual Processes. (The shaded highlights in this paper indicate comments that, according to my reading, have been proved out by the latest findings in neuroscience and neurobiology.)
Compare Korzybski's "Demonstration of Abstracting" with his fan-disc (c. 1948) with the more sophisticated demonstrations by neurobiologist Christof Koch in 2005, posted here with Koch's permission.
The last video was prepared by Steve Stockdale as part of a 50-minute presentation he gave to the Amarillo Advertising Club in April 2009. The complete presentation, "Lay Off of My PERSUADE Shoes," is available here.
The audio recordings of Korzybski's 1948-49 Intensive Seminar and his "Historical Note on the Structural Differential" are available from the Institute of General Semantics.
Here's Something About General Semantics:
A Primer for Making Sense of Your World
ISBN 978-0-9824645-0-2; 290 pages. FREE!
Available in eBook format (PDF) for immediate purchase and download.
Here’s Something About GS provides a thorough yet accessible overview of this misunderstood and under-appreciated discipline, reflecting work I’ve done in learning, teaching, and writing about general semantics for more than 13 years. It explains and demonstrates principles that promote an ongoing awareness of differences that make a difference. Learn how language and other symbols influence how you perceive your world, how you respond to your perceptions, and how you think-and-talk about your responses.
As a former student wrote: "This class was so much different from any class I've taken in college thus far. In my opinion, it was a class teaching us how to think, rather than what to think."
For example, some of the topics commented on include:
- A fence sieve language
- Eating menus
- Definitions vs. meanings
- Tips for playing roulette
- Defending the swastika (ooh, controversy!)
- Making a federal case out of bad words (ooh, more blanking controversy!)
- Word magic
- Calling out the symbol rulers
- Lay off of my persuade shoes
- Symptoms of language misbehaviors
- Semantic pollution
- The bridge at Neverwas
The book is filled with examples, quotes, and has over 50 illustrations. It includes 13 pages of Notes and Sources and an Index of Names with over 250 entries. It has links to additional online material to augment the content, including links to more than 150 video clips. It’s written for a general audience, but could be especially useful for teachers who want to introduce GS principles to supplement a secondary school curriculum, or even as a module in a college-level humanities or social sciences course. I’ve included some introductory materials for those who know nothing about GS; some more in-depth explanations and descriptions including published articles, newspaper columns, and presentations I've made; and some history about the people and organizations that have been involved with GS over the years. Click here to read an excerpt, review the Contents, order, and download now!
Interested in an excerpted video? Check out the Bib-Vid-liography listings here.